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Lyme Disease During Pregnancy and Nursing

Topic Overview

During pregnancy

Pregnant women who visit or live in areas where ticks carry
Lyme disease should watch carefully for signs of the
illness so that they can be diagnosed and treated promptly. Women who get Lyme
disease during pregnancy should be assured that with proper treatment, there is
very little risk of harm to their fetus.

There is no conclusive evidence that untreated Lyme disease during
pregnancy leads to birth defects, premature births, or stillbirths, but the
effects of the disease on the fetus are not fully understood.

During breastfeeding

There is no evidence that nursing mothers infected with Lyme
disease can pass the illness to their babies. But if a woman who is
breastfeeding is suspected of having Lyme disease, she may be asked to stop nursing her
baby until she has completed her course of antibiotic treatment.

The baby should be watched for signs of infection. If he or she
becomes ill, blood testing for Lyme disease should be done.

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